Machine for treating hides and leather



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

No Model.)

W. B. TURNER. MACHINE FOR TREATING EIDBS AND LEATHER. No. 584,123. Patented June 8,1897.

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No. 584,123. Patented June 8,1897.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. B. TURNER. MACHINE FOR TREATING HIDES AND LEATHER.

No. 584,123. Patented June 8,1897.

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(No Model.) V 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. W. B. TURNER.

MACHINE FOR TREATING HIDES AND LEATHER.

Patented June 8,1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT rEicE;

WILLIAM B. TURNER, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE TANNER-S AND CURRIERS MACHINERY COMPANY, OF CIIARLESTOWN, \VEST VIRGINIA.

MACHINE FOR TREATING HIDES AND LEATHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,123, dated June 8, 1897.

Application filed November 12,1895. Serial No. 568,733. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: at one time than is possible with the use of Be it known that I, WVILLIAM B. TURXER, the roller, wherein the working surface acts of Somerville, county of Middlesex, State of upon the skin in never more than in a single Massachusetts, have invented an Improveline extending longitudinally of the roller.

ment in Machines. for Treating Hides and For the best results I may employ two of 55 Leather, of which the following description, these substantially flat working surfaces, bein connection with the accompanying drawtween which the skin is passed, both surfaces ings, is a specification, like letters on the performing their work at the same time, thus drawings representing like parts. increasing the capacity of the machine, and

This invention in machines for treating preferably these working surfaces are com- 60 leather has special reference to machines for posed of a plurality of independent connected slating, fleshing, putting out, and the like. members caused to travel in, it may be, a

To enable my invention to be understood, direction opposite that in which the skin I shall in the following specification describe travels.

the same as it will be constructed for putting My invention contemplates mounting one 65 out-that is, working out from the hide or or more work-supports for the leather on an skin any liquid or tan which may have been endless chain or carrier for moving the same previously used in the vat or in the process successively between the working surfaces of tanning, or in otherwise preparing for and always in the same direction, so that no practical use. time is lost in returning the work between 70 Prior to my invention machines for this the working surfaces to its starting-point, purpose have been devised containing a pluthe skins being placed upon the work-supralit-y of rollers, each having aseries of spiports as soon as they reach a position in rally-arranged vanes, each vane starting from front or in advance of the working suran intermediate point on the roller, diver faces, and removed from the work-support 75 ging rearwardly and toward the ends of the after they emerge from the opposite sides of roller, so that as the hide or skin is fed bethe working surfaces. Suitable means are tween these rollers these diverging vanes or provided for moving the work-support while blades by pressing upon the leather squeeze the skin is upon it and while passing between 3o out the liquid or tan and work the same toor past the working surfaces in order that 80 Ward and off at the edges of the hide or skin. different portions of the skin may be pre- In machines such as I have described it is sented to the said surfaces. customary to fold the hide or skin over a suit- In the preferred embodiment of my in venable support or form and pass the same betion the work-support is composed of a flexitween the rollers, and after the skin has parble apron passed over a suitable roller, the 85 tially entered or passed a short distance beskin beingfolded over this apron and standing tween the rollers it is withdrawn, shifted upon equally at opposite sides of the roller. When its support or form and again passed between the skin is passed between the working surand completely through the rollers, the form faces, that portion which is wrapped over the or support being returned in an opposite diroller is of course not acted upon by the said c rection to its starting-point for the reception surfaces, but before the skin has completely of a new skin. passed between the working surfaces the In my present invention I employ a subapron is shifted or rolled to carry that porstantially flat working surface on which the tion of the skin which was in the first place vanes or working projections are angularly bent over the rollerdown to one side of the lat- 5 and divergingly arranged, so that when the ter, where it can be acted upon by one or the skin is given a relative movement to this other of the working surfaces. I also preferworking surface more of the working surface ably employ suitable means for separating is presented to the skin, enabling a greater the working surfaces temporarily while the portion of thcskin-surface to be acted upon skins are shifted on their worksupports. 10o

The above with other features of my invention will be hereinafter fully described, and set fort-l1 in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1, in front elevation, shows a machine containing one embodiment of myinvention; Fig. 2, a left-hand end elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a vertical cross-section taken on the dotted line 00 50, Fig. 1; and Figs. 4 and 5, details showing a modification of my invention.

In the embodiment of my invention herein selected for illustration and shown in the drawings, A A are two substantially like end frames of suitable shape and construction to sustain the several working parts.

The framesA A (see Figs. 2 and are provided at opposite sides with suitable recesses, the edges (0 a of which constitute top and bot-- tom guides for the laterally-slidin g rectangularframe-like heads 1) b, the entrances to the recesses being normally closed by suitable bars a a, secured by suitable bolts a The heads I) b attheir inner sides are provided with suitable flanges 1), (shown in Figs. 1 and 2,) which hold the said heads in proper alinement with relation to their recesses. In the heads I) b are journaled, respectively, the swivel-carriers b pivoted top and bottom in the said heads and adapted, therefore, to rotate about a vertical axis, the said swivel.- carriers having suitable bearings for the shafts c 0, extending from one to the other frame A A and provided with sprocket-wheels c 0. (See Fig. 3.) The sprocket-wheels 0 (see Figs. 2 and 3) are arranged in four pairs, the wheels of each pair standing one vertically above the other, and about the wheels of each pair are passed the sprocket-chains 0 0 corresponding links of the two chains of the respective pair of shafts c 0 being connected by and serving as supports for the barlike working members d d. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) Each of these working members cl is in the present instance provided with a plurality of an gularly-arranged ribs or projections, which I shall hereinafter denominate as working devices cl, the same diverging in opposite directions from a point preferably midway the length of the member, the said ribs or projections being so arranged or placed that when a plurality of the working members stand one next the other, as when passing from one to the other of the sprocket-wheels which carry the same, the angular lips or proj ections on one member will form substantial continuations of the ribs or projections on the members at either side thereof.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention the angular working devices cl are made independent of their respective working members (I, and made readily detachable therefrom, in order that working devices of different shape or construction may be used, if desired.

In the embodiment of my invention herein shown the working devices (1 are set in the angular groovesin their respective working members, and are secured in place by bolting to the raised lips 61 on the members and adjacent the said grooves.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be clear, in my invention, as shown, that there are two endless series of working members 0?, which at the middle of the machine, where the two series face each other, present opposite substantially flat working surfaces, over which are distributed the an gularly-arranged working devices or ribs, and it is between these two substantially flat working surfaces that the hide or skin to be treated is passed.

In the frames A A, near the tops and bottoms thereof, are journaled the two shafts e 6, each of which is provided near its opposite ends with suitable sprocket-wheels e 6'', about which are passed the two sprocketchains e 6 these chains, at one side of the sprocket-wheels, passing between or in a plane which lies between the two working surf-aces referred to. These chains 6 a carry the work support or supports, of which I preferably employ a plurality, but since all are alike in construction a detailed description of one will be deemed sufficient. Referring, then, to Figs. 1 and 3, each work- .Support, as shown, consists of a plate or board e provided at its ends with end pieces a, which are supported by two rods 6 e, constituting two of the pivots of the chains e said rods extending across the machine from one to the other of said chains. The end pieces e are pivotally mounted upon one of the rods, as 6 and are slotted at their opposite ends, as at 6 Fig. 3, for the reception of the other rod e so that as the chains are revolved in unison this board or member 6 will be carried round and round and each time caused to rise in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, between the working surfaces. About this board or member e I prefer to lay a flexible apron f of suitable material, the same being folded or lapped over the pivot-rod c and having its opposite edges joined by cords or connections f, which latter, intermediate the edges of the apron, are passed one or more times about a suitable shaft f rotatably mounted in the end pieces (2 close to the ends of the slots 6 in the said end pieces. Rotation of this shaft f will cause the apron f to be shifted or moved upon the board or member 83X.

The several shafts and their wheels may be driven in suitable manner, I having herein shown the power as applied to a pulley 1) on one of the shafts 0, (shown as the upper righthand shaft in Fig. 1,) said shaft being provided with a sprocket-wheel p, connected by a suitable chain 19 with a sprocket-wheel 13". fast on a shaft 19 journaled in the frame and in a bracket 19 thereon and having fast on it a spur-wheel p meshing with a wheel 13, fast on and driving the lower shaft 6. The upper shaft 6 is of course driven through the sprocket-chains e from the lower shaft 6, said upper shaft being in turn provided with a sprocket-wheel 19 connected by a suitable chain p with a suitable wheel 1), fast on one of the shafts c of the other pair, (herein shown as the upper left-hand shaft in Fig. 3.) The power therefore applied to the pulley 1) will cause the endless traveling working surfaces cl to move in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 3, and will also cause the several worksupports to travel in the direction of the arrows adjacent thereto.

In operating the machine the hides or skins, saturated to a greater or less extent with the tan or other liquid employed in connection with the treatment of thesame, are laid upon the work-supports f as the latter successively reach a position at or about the position indicated at 5, Fig. 3, said hides or skins, by reason of their damp condition, adhering closely to the aprons constituting the said supports.

As the work-support carrying the hide or skin rises between the downwardly-moving working surfaces the angular projections on the latter, by acting firmly upon the hide or skin at opposite sides of the work-support, squeeze out substantially all the liquid or tan contained in the skin and by reason of their angular positions cause the said liquid to be gradually worked in opposite directions to ward and off at the lower edges and ends of the skin. After the skins emerge from between and at the tops of the working surfaces they are removed by the operator before the descent of the worksupports at the back of the machine or are permitted to drop before such descent. It will be evident by viewing Fig. 3 that a certain portion of the skim-viz. that portion which is lapped over the rod e at the bend in the skin-will not be acted upon by either of the working surfaces. It is necessary, however, that all portions of the skin should be presented to one or the other of the working surfaces, and to accomplish this I momentarily separate the working surfaces and shift the apron of the worksupport to carry this portion of the skin away from the bend and down in position to be acted upon by one of the working sur faces. To accomplish this automatically, I have provided at each side of the machine a lever 7t, pivoted at h and connected by links 7&2 with the frame-like sliding heads?) at that end of the machine, so that vibration of the said lever it will cause the said rods and the shaft and wheels carried thereby to be moved in opposite directions-that is, separated or brought together-according to the movement given to the lever. To move these levers 7t, I have extended their lower ends and connected the same by suitable links 7& with the upper ends of other levers 7r, fulcrumed at their lower ends at 72? to the frames A A.

Upon these main levers it I have pivoted atjournaled suitable rollers h, adapted to be acted upon by the cams it fast on the lower chain-shaft e, springs h, acting upon the upper ends of the levers 71, serving to hold the said rollers 72. always in operative contact with the said cams or during such portions of the movements of the latter as are necessary for the proper operation of the machine. Each shaft 9 rotates three times for one complete movement of the chains e In the operation of the machine the parts are so adjusted that after any work-support carrying a skin has partially passed between the working surfaces the cams It will engage the rollers h and move the lovers 7r to separate the heads 6 b and the working surfaces carried thereby to remove the latter momentarily from contact with the skin on the worksupport between the same. During this short interval while the working surfaces are separated a suitably-arranged pinion m on the shaft f of the work-support referred to engages a stationary rack m on the frame, (see Fig. 1,) which latter, by reason of the movement of the chain carrying the work-support, causes the said shaft f to be rotated sufficiently to shift the apron and carry the portion of the skin which had been out of contact with either working surface down upon one side of said support, where during the further movement of the skin between the surfaces it will be acted upon and treated like the rest of the skin, the cams h permitting the levers h and the working surfaces to be returned quickly by the springs 71 to their original operative positions immediately following the shifting of the work-supportand skin.

By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that there is never a retrograde movement to a work-support such as in machines at present constructed, said work-support always and continuously traveling, and by providing a plurality of work-supports it is possible to cause the skins to be passed between the working surfaces faster than is possible with any reciprocating support, so that the capacity of my machine must of necessity be much greater than that of any machine having a reciprocating support.

I further gain in my machine by having a substantially flat working surface of large area to act upon almost one-half of the skin at once, said surface being provided (see Fig. 1) with a large number of angularly-arranged projections all acting upon the skin at the same time, so that the latter must be more effectively stretched and all liquid more effectively and quickly removed than is possible where there is but a single line of contact and where rollers alone are employed.

Rotative movement of the shaft f of any single work-support by the rack and pinion referred to is limited by a stop-piece f cooperating with a stop-pin f on the adjacent end piece o and during the downward movement of thework-support at the outside of the same may be varied without departing the machine-the apron is returned to its origi-- nal position by a second rack m The distance-between the working surfaces is determined by a suitable adjustable stop 0 on the frame,against which the lever 71 abuts, and by adjusting the position of the memberli on the-lever h the extent of'movement of the: working surfaces as the latter are separated may also be varied.

So far as known to meIam the first tosep arate the working surfaces without necessarily interrupting the movement of the skin betweenthesameto permit said skin to be shifted in order that all parts of its surface may be presented to its working surfaces, whether such'shifting is done in" a machine havinga substantially flat working surface or one wherein said working surface is. on aroller. shown a construction wherein a rollernnachinemay more n-ea-rlyapproach thecapacity of the flat surfaces of this machine than is possible with the machines now' in. use. In: Fig: l 1 haveshown four rollers-'n-n', eaclrconstructedsubstantially as shown in Fig. 5-aud provided with a plurality of diverging vanesor projections 02, said rollers being arranged in pairs, there being two rollers to act in suecession upon the portions of the skin at opposite sides of the work-support as the latter passesbetweenthem, the rollers being mounted in sliding boxes in order that they maybe opened and closed substantially inthemanr neril-lustrated in Figs. 1 to 3; inclusive.

My invention is not limited to the precise construction herein shown: and described, for

from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to seeureby Letters-Patent, 1s*

1. Ina machine of the class described, the combinationwi th a suitable work-support, of a working surface comprising a plurality of connected working members provided with one or more working projections, the workin g edges of which, when in working'position, lie in the same substantially flat plane, andmeans' to impart to said work-support and working surface a relative movement in the direction of a line diagonal to and lying in the plane of said working edges, whereby substances in or on the stock carried by'said work-support may be worked thereon by said projection or projections laterally withrelation to the direction of said relative move ment, substantially as described.

2'. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a snitablework-support, of a working surface comprising a plurality of connected working members provided with working, projections, having their working edges, when in working'position, lying in the same substantially flat plane, means to move said Working members relatively to said-worksnpport, and in the direction of a line diagonal to and lying in the plane of said working For instance, in Figs. 4 and" 5 Ihaveedges, whereby substancesin or on the stock carried by said work-support may be worked I thereon by said: projections laterally with reilation tothe direction of said relative movement, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the'class described, the combination with a suitablework-support, of 5 a working surface comprising an endless series of working members provided with work- ;jingprojections having their working. edges, :1 when in working position, lying in the same snbstantially flat plane, means to move said working members relatively to said worksnpport, and in the direction of a line diago-- nal to-and lying in the plane of saidworking edges, wherebysubstances in or on the stock 3 carried by said work support may be worked thereon by saidprojections laterally with re- Qlation to the direction of said' relative move- .iment, substantially as described.

4:. In a macliineof the class described, the fc'ombinationwit'h a suitablework-support, of 1 an endless series of traveling working memb'ers provided respectively'with a plurality of intermediate point toward the ends of the :member, substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the class-described, the" an endless series of traveling workingimeinbers provided respectively with angularlyarranged working projections, the latter, on each member, diverging toward the ends of said" member; the projections on one'member' when in working position constituting substantial continuations'ofthe projections'of' anadjacent member, substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the class described, the

i a plurality of working surfaces provided respectively with one or more working projectionshaving'workingedges in thesame subf stantially flat plane, saidworking surfaces, with their projections, being arranged to act from opposite sides of and upon the stock icarried by said work-support, and means to impart to said work-support and working surface arelative movement in the direction of a line diagonal to and lying in one of the {planes of said. working edges, whereby substances in or on the stock carried by said work-support may beworked thereon by said projections laterally with relation to the direction of said relative movement, substantially as described.

.a plurality of working, surfaces, comprising Zrespectively an. endless series of working carried thereby, and means to impart to said combination with a suitablework-support, of"

combination with a suitable work-support, or"

. 7. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a suitable work-support, of

work-support and working surfaces a relative movement in the direction of aline diagonal to and lying in one of the planes of said working edges, whereby substances in or on the stock carried by said work-support may be Worked thereon by said projections laterally with relation to the direction of said relative movement, substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination with. two endless series of workin g members and means to move the same, of aworksupport movable between said series, and an endless carrier for said work-support, substantially as described.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with two working surfaces, each provided with a plurality of working projections, arranged with the working edges of the projections on the respective surfaces in the same substantially flat planes, the working projections on the said surfaces facing each other, of one or more work-supports, and an endless carrier for and to move the same between said working surfaces in the direction of a line diagonal to and lying in the plane of said working edges, whereby substances in or on the stock carried bythe respective worksupports may be worked thereon by said projections laterally with relation to the direction of said relative movement, substantially as described.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a working surface, of a work-support, a carrier for the same, means to move said work-support and working surface one relatively to the other, and means to automatically shift the position of said worksupport relatively to said carrier to cause different portions of the material thereon to be presented to the working surface, substanwhile the work-support and working surface are so separated, substantially as described.

14. In a machine of the class described, the combination with two working surfaces arranged facing each other, of a work-support movable between the same, means to separate said working surfaces, and means to shift said work-support while the surfaces are so separated, substantially as described.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination with two working surfaces, of one or more work-supports, an endless carrier for the same, means to separate said Workin g surfaces, and means to automatically shift said work-support with relation to its carrier while between said working surfaces, and to return said work-support to its normal position relatively to its carrier before said support again enters between said working surfaces, substantially as described.

16. In a machine of the class described, the combination with two opposite working surfaces, of one or more work-supports, and endless chains between which the same is mounted, said work-support at its opposite ends being carried by pintles on different links in its chains, substantially as described.

17. In a machine of the class described, the combination with opposite working surfaces, of a pair of endless chains, rods joining different links of one chain with corresponding links of another, and a work-support carried by and between said rods, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM B. TURNER.

IVitnesses FREDERICK L. EMERY, AUGUSTA E. DEAN. 

